tree grower
Silver Member
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2007
- Messages
- 208
- Location
- Cuttingsville, VT
- Tractor
- Ford 1210, Bobcat 742B, John Deere 1050
My Five Star post hole digger's 'business end' is a 2" shaft with a 7/16" hole for a shear pin. Due to stony soil I do not use soft shear pins, but grade 8 bolts instead. The torque of the shaft and the resistance of the auger still bends the bolts to a modified S shape, and it is necessary to cut the bolts out with a torch in order to remove the auger. There has developed a divot at the three o'clock position on both sides of the 7/16" hole which allows the bending of the bolt easier than if the shaft were perfectly intact. I think the best way to fill in this divot is to insert a non-ferrous 7/16" rod, fill the divot with hard-facing rod, drive the 7/16 rod out, and grind the weld smooth. I can't imagine copper standing up to the heat of a welder, so what is a reasonable alternative?